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Questions & Answers about Vidimo se prije škole.
What does the bold se do in Vidimo se? Is it reflexive or reciprocal?
Se is an unstressed clitic pronoun. In this sentence it gives a reciprocal meaning: vidjeti se = to see each other / to meet. So Vidimo se literally means “we see each other,” used idiomatically as “See you.”
Can I drop se and say Vidimo prije škole?
No. Without se, vidimo needs a direct object (whom/what do we see?). To mean “see each other,” you need se: Vidimo se prije škole.
Why is it prije škole and not prije školu or prije škola?
Because prije governs the genitive case. Škole is the genitive singular of škola.
- Nominative: škola
- Genitive: škole Other cases like školu (accusative) or školom (instrumental) don’t work after prije.
Does prije škole express time or place?
Time. It means “before school (starts/the school day).” If you want a place (“in front of the school”), use ispred škole. You can combine them for clarity: Vidimo se ispred škole prije početka nastave.
Can I change the word order?
Yes, but keep the clitic se in second position:
- Neutral: Vidimo se prije škole.
- With fronted time phrase: Prije škole se vidimo. Avoid starting with Se: Se vidimo… is ungrammatical.
This is present tense—does it still mean a future plan?
Yes. Croatian often uses the present for arranged or scheduled future actions. Vidimo se (prije škole) is the standard, friendly way to set or confirm a plan. A more explicit future is Vidjet ćemo se prije škole, which is equally correct but a bit more formal/neutral.
How do I ask “Shall we see each other before school?” in Croatian?
- Hoćemo li se vidjeti prije škole? (most common/neutral)
- Vidimo li se prije škole? (present used for arrangements; also fine)
Is Vidimo se prije škole formal or informal?
It’s neutral and common in both casual and semi-formal contexts. For phone-only plans you might use Čujemo se (“We’ll be in touch by phone”). More formal or explicit: Vidjet ćemo se prije početka nastave.
How do I make it more specific, like “before school at 7:45”?
Add a time phrase: Vidimo se prije škole, u 7:45. You can also say u sedam i četrdeset pet or u petnaest do osam (a quarter to eight).
How do I say “before class/work/practice” instead of “before school”?
Use the same pattern (prije + genitive):
- prije nastave (before class)
- prije posla (before work)
- prije treninga (before practice)
- prije sastanka (before the meeting)
- prije ručka (before lunch)
What if I want a full clause, like “before school starts”?
Use prije nego (što) + present: Prije nego što počne škola, vidimo se. A noun phrase also works: Prije početka škole, vidimo se.
How do I negate it? (“We won’t see each other before school” vs. habitual “We don’t see each other before school.”)
- Specific future: Nećemo se vidjeti prije škole.
- Habitual/general: Ne viđamo se prije škole. (uses imperfective viđati se for habits)
Any pronunciation tips for prije and škole?
- prije: two syllables, roughly “priyeh”; the j is a y-sound.
- š in škole is like English “sh” in “shoe.”
- r is rolled/tapped; se is unstressed.
I’ve heard pre škole—is that acceptable?
That’s standard in Serbian. In Croatian, use prije škole. Similarly, Croatian poslije vs. Serbian posle. If you’re learning Croatian, stick with prije/poslije.
Where is “the” in “before school”? Should it be “before the school”?
Croatian has no articles. Prije škole can mean “before school” in a general sense or “before the school [day]” depending on context. The specificity comes from context, not from an article.
What about “after school”?
Use poslije or nakon (both take genitive):
- Poslije škole / Nakon škole = after school.